The Last Phi Hunter

I love fantasy, from the low to the high, but I love it even more when it is tackled in an interesting way. The Last Phi Hunter by Salinee Goldenberg has all the elements of High Fantasy, packed with more magic than a Paul Daniels Appreciation Society AGM, but this is not a book of wizards and elves. This is a fantasy novel that weaves in Thai-folklore giving the book a different feeling fantasy and took this reader to unfamiliar places. 

Ex is the youngest and least experienced Phi Hunter tasked with tracking down minor demons and ghosts in a rundown part of the Kingdom. His ambition is to kill a real demon and get the respect of his peers. Fate has other plans for Ex when he stumbles across a capable woman who needs his help. In most scenarios she can look after herself, but in the realm of low magic she needs Ex’s help. As a rule, Ex is a loner, but he feels obliged to help, he should listen to his instincts. 

From the opening chapter you get the sense that Phi is a different type of fantasy. The trappings of the genre are there; Ex is a loner, a young man looking to find his place in the world. There are Crown-Princes and Kings, cutthroats, and demons. What makes the book different is the nature of the demons and the magic in the book. These are creatures inspired by Thai-folklore in which a person who dies can return as a Phi. Perhaps they died an unjust death, or they are being punished for the sins they made in life. They roam the forests and depths with a constant hunger, often sated by the odd village child. Ex is hired to hunt down and kill these Phi. 

The nature of the enemies and their backstory instantly gives the book a different feel from your average orcs and elves tale, but the ideas do not stop there. The magic system is also well thought out. There are distinct types; Ex uses his training to enter a parallel world that he can see the demons in, but there are also practitioners of low magic, and sorcery. The different magical purveyors do not always see eye to eye, this itself informs the story as the central Kingdom is slowly snuffing out other magics other than sorcery. 

Goldenberg does an outstanding job of creating an organic story. By developing a coherent world and magic system, the base of the story is already there. On top sits something more familiar to fantasy fans, but a storyline that we enjoy. Ex meets someone and they are combative, but there is also a spark. The characters feed off one another and make for an enjoyable adventure. Ex finds himself caring for others and this drives the story on. 

It is not often that I pick up a fantasy novel and can say that I have genuinely not read anything quite like it, but Phi is this. The foundation is your classic fantasy tale, a coming-of-age story, however, the world and magic system give the book a different feel. There is more horror in the enemies, but also more empathy as you begin to realise they are more cursed than truly evil. Ex learns this as the book progresses and begins to understand that sometimes it is humans who are the real evil – but sometimes a demon just needs to be made dead again. A refreshing alternative work of fantasy for fans of the genre.